Can-manipulating machine.



B. HAUSHEER.

CAN MANIPULATING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION IILED JUNE 28, 1910.

Patented June 25, 1912.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPII co.. WASHINGTON n. c.

B.' HAUSHEBR.

CAN MANIPULATING MACHINE. QAPPLIUATION FILED JUNE 28, 1910.

1,030,300, I Patented June 25,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cov. WASHINGTON. D. C.

fi/lorrt ey B. HAUSHEER.

CAN MANIPULATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 28, 1910.

1,030,300. Patented June 25,1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD HAUSHEER, F NORWICH, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'I'O BORDENS CONDENSEDMILK COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-MANIPULATING MACHINE.

Application filed June 28, 1910. Serial No. 569,270.

and State of New York, have invented a,

new and useful Can-h lanipulating Machine, of which the following is aspecification.

My present invention relates to improve ments in machines formanipulating simultaneously, and alike, pluralities, or groups, of likecans, or other cylindrical containers of merchandise such for example ascondensed milk.

The objects of my invention include provision of means whereby, withouthandling, the said groups of containers maybe fed,

simultaneously when desired, through the machine, beneath a plurality ofsequentially disposed, differently-functioning, groups of alikeoperating devices; also means whereby, by aid of said feeding means,each member of one of said .groups of containers may be centeredaccurately with a member of one of said groups of operating devices, anddifferent groups so centered simultaneously when desired; also meanswhereby said ccntainers may, by aid of said feeding means, be held socentered during function thereon of the operating devices with whichthey are then centered. 7

Other objects of my herein claimed inven-- tions include provision ofmeans whereby on each member of one of such groups of containers, inthis instance cylindrical cans previously charged through thereincontained exceptionally small therewith concentric openings, may,simultaneously, be placed, by one of said groups of operating devices, asuitably disposed cap, and this without handling cap or can.

In those applications of my improvements which are herein described thecans manipulated are cylindrical as shown in the drawings, and areassumed to have been previously filled through a small concentricopening in each with merchandise.

I attain my said objects by the devices and combinations of deviceshereinafter more particularly described and claimed, thereby economizingin time and in manual labor, and rendering possible, on industrialscales of production, much smaller openings in containers thanheretofore practicable, whereby leaks are desirably diminished.

For better understanding of the operation Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented June 25, 1912.

and results, throughout the machine, of my I feed-centering devices,reference is also hereinafter made to, by me invented but not hereinclaimed, other groups of operating devices, 2'. 6., flux applying andsoldering instrumentalities, disposed sequentially to my saidcap-placing group, in said machine, and cooperating in attainment of itsunitary final result, 2'. 6., the capping complete of large pluralitiesof cans treated simultaneously without handling from start to finish.

My invention is illustrated'by the accompanying drawings as describedherein, together with such additional features as are essential toimpart such full, clear and exact understanding of my said invention asto enable any person skilled in the art to which it appertains to make,construct and use the same to the best advantage.

Referring now to said drawings :-Figure 1 is a side elevation ofprincipal parts of a machine containing my said invention, and showingalso, diagrammatically, groups of other than cap-placing devices; Fig. 2is a plan, partly in section, of the machine shown in Fig. 1, showinggroups of cans in centered positions under some of the groups ofoperating devices, latter not shown, said section being taken on lineact of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail, side elevation, on enlarged scale, ofmy group of cap-placing devices, showing a group of cans in centeredposition thereunder, portions only of the carrier chain and main framebeing shown; Fig. 4c is an end view of the parts shown in Fig. 3, asseen in the direction indicated by arrow 82 in latter; Fig. 5 is afragmentary, detail, sectional, end view, on enlarged scale, showing oneof my roller-provided stops; the section being taken on the line b-b ofFig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, top-plan, view of the parts shown in Fig. 5,showing also some of the cap-containing magazines; Fig. 7 is a vertical,central, sectional, detail-view, on a still more enlarged scale, of oneof my capcontaining magazines; Fig. 8 is a vertical, central, sectional,detail-view, on enlarged scale, of one of my cap-placing spindles; Fig.9 is an enlarged, top-plan, detail-view of one of my cap-containingmagazines,

showing in horizontal cross-section a lower terminal member of my saidcap-placing spindle inserted in said magazine; Fig. 10 is a top planview of one of the caps hereinafter described, enlarged; Fig. 11 is acena group of similarly constructed and operating, 2'. 0., hereinafterspecifically described, like cap-placing devices and instrumentalitiesindicated by A. A convenient distance behind the latter are sequentiallydisposed, through the machine, groups of like fluxing instrumentalitiesand devices indicated by B, and groups of like solderinginstrumentalities indicated by C, and D.

The machine has, extending longitudinally therethrough, a runway for thecans, bounded laterally, on each side, by parallel, lateral, aliningmembers and below by the endless conveyer hereinafter described,cooperating with which and with other elements as hereinafter describedare the movable trays or carriers 6 (Fig. 2) comprising a bottom 6*(Figs. 4:, 2), side flanges 6 and a transverse tail-board, or rearmember, 6, (Figs. 2, 3) for a specific purpose herein after described;said carrier, as a whole, being dimensioned and adapted to carry looselya group of similarly shaped, or like, cylindrical containers, in thisinstance cans, i. 6., the capacity of said carrier is somewhat greaterthan the number of cans contained as indicated in part by dotted linesat C (Fig. 2), thus admitting some movement of the cans on the bottom ofsaid carrier relatively thereto and to each other. The said endlessconveyer consists, in this instance, of the sprocket-chains 8, movablysupported on underneath ways 8 Means are provided to impart to saidconveyer continuous motion in parallelism with said runway, 2'. e. thechains 8 are driven by sprocket-wheel 9, located at delivery end 7of-the machine. Sprocket-wheel 9 is rotated by gear 10 (Figs. 1, 2),intermeshedwith pinion 11, rotated by sprocket-wheel l2, rotated byanother sprocket-wheel 13, through sprocketchain 14. Wheel 13 is rotatedby sprocketwheel 15 through chain 16 and sprocket-- pinion 17. Pinion 17is rotated by spiralgears 18, 19; 18 being carried by shaft 20 rotatedby belt 21 and pulley 22. Belt 21 may be moved from pulley 22 to idlerpulley 2 2 and vice versa by belt-shifter 23 under control of anoperator stationed near capplacing devices A. The cans, 2 1, constitute,in this instance, a group containing an even number, sixteen, ofcylindrical cans, of like shape and dimensions, as shown in thedrawoperating devices.

ings (Figs. 2, 3, etc.). The top of each can comprises the usualcircular therewith concentric and, at this stage, uncapped opening, theedge of which is flanged as at 24L (Figs. 10 and 11) to receive, andseam with, the circular cap 57 (Figs. 10 and 11) to be thereto appliedas hereinafter described. Itwill be understood that the said cans have,prior to entering the machine, been filled with merchandise, forinstance condensed milk, requiring. for its preservation her meticsealing. The aforesaid can-carriers 6 loosely ride on the chains 8constituting the endless conveyer, 2'. e., are supported and heldthereon by gravity and friction only.

Laterally bounding the can-runway are, as aforesaid, the parallel,alining, members, or rails, 25 (Figs. 2, 4c) mounted upon angleirons 25supported on elements 3, 1, etc,

of the frame of the machine.

Said lateral members are supported, and disposed, sufiiciently above theconveyer chains-8 to clear the carriers 6, and sufficiently proximate tothe center of said runway to contact with some of the group of cans onthe bottom or floor of said carrier. Said lateral, alining, members arespaced-apart a distance equal to the sum of the diameters of an aliquotnumber of said even-numbered group of like cans (Figs. 2, 4:). Thecenters of the operating devices constituting each of said groups A, B,C, D, are mutually spacedapart a distance equal to the diameter of eachof said cans, and the interspace between inner faces of said lateralmembers and vertical axes of said centers thereto most proximate isequal to one-half ofsaid diameter, as witness the cap-placing devices(Figs. 3, 1). It follows that the said lateral alining members will, asthe cans are carried through the runway, contact with some cans and,coacting with said conveyer, guide the group toward positions in whichtheir centers will register with said centers of said Transverse saidrunway of the machine in the path of said cans are a plurality ofmovable, normally closed, stops, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31, sequentiallydisposed, as shown, to, in turn, contact with some of said cans and,coacting with said conveyer and said lateral members, crowd saidgroupinto positions, in equal ranks, in which centers of said cans willregister, in turn, with said centers of said operating devices. The saidstops are kept normally closed by gravity in, and transverse, the upperpart of the path of the cans in said runway, being however like the saidlateral alining members 25 located sufficiently above the conveyerchains 8 to clear, at all times, the tops of carriers 6. To relieve theoperator from holding up said stops until cleared by the carriers, eachstop is provided with therewith connected downwardly projecting rollers26, 28, 29, 80, 31, respectively,

which rollers are disposed to rest and rotate upon the side flanges 6 ofthe carriers 6, portions of the alining members 25 being, as at 26 (Fig.6), cut away to enable said rollers to contact with said flanges. Afterthe stop has been held open sufficiently for the carrier to movethereunder a short distance, the stop may be released by the operator,whereupon its said rollers will rest and rotate upon said side flangesuntil the car rier has cleared the stop, when latter will, by gravity,be returned to normal position. It follows that said stops contact withsome of the cans and co-acting with said conveyor and with said aliningmembers tend to crowd the cans contacted, and thus more or less theentire group, into the aforesaid positions in which their centers willregister with the said centers and axes of said operating devices. Afterthe stops have, as aforesaid, contacted with some of the cans, therebychecking the onward feed, or progression, of these through the runway,the aforesaid rear member 6 of carrier 6, disposed to contact with someof the cans, comes into play, and by so contacting therewith andcoacting with said conveyer, said lateral alining members, and, in turn,with each of said stops, ultimately forces said group of cans into theaforesaid required positions in which the center of each can is in exactregister with the center of one of said operating devices, whereuponsaid rear member so coacting combines to hold said group in saidpositions until the particular stop then in coaction therewith is raisedout of its said normal position in the path of the cans in said runway.

It follows that however irregularly the cans may be placed or afterwarddisturbed in the carriers, or 011 the conveyor, their progressionthrough the machine operatesto bring them in turn automatically, andinevitably, into required register with each successive group ofoperating devices, the cans being constantly guided laterally towardrequired positions by the lateral alining devices 25, intermittentlycrowded toward said positions by said stops, and ultimately forcedthereinto, and held there, relatively to each plurality of operatingdevices, in turn, by said rear members 6 of the carriers 6. On the otherhand it will be observed that no group of cans can at any time passbeyond its required position beneath any of said pluralities ofoperating devices until released through said raising of a stop; alsothat one or more groups of cans may be simultaneously advanced. in therunway while one or more groups are simultaneously manipulated by one ormore of said pluralities of operating devices, this being possiblebecause of the continuous motion of the endless conveyer chains 8 onwhich the said carriers loosely ride, the chains constantly propollingeach carrier until its cans are clamped stationary between one of saidstops and said carrier-s said rear member 6, after which, and until saidstop is lifted to open the path of the cans in the runway as Jhereinafter described, said chains will slip onward under the bottom ofsaid carrier, the while, by their friction with latter, constantlyimparting to said rear member 6 sufficient pressure against thetherewith contacting cans to hold, through co-action of said aliningmembers and said stop, the entire group of cans in required registerwith the then superimposed group of operating devices duringmanipulations by lat-- ter and until said stop is lifted. From theforegoing it follows that the carriers 6, with their loosely containedcans, may be placed upon the constantly moving conveyer chains 8 withoutparticular regard to position or interval and afterward disturbed inrelative position while fed from one group of operating devices to thenext since the elements mentioned automatically regulate the feed andposition of the cans through and in the runway to suit requirements ofthe machine, and insure successive perfect centerings thereof at theplurality of locations required. Thus operators of such machines arerelieved from manipulations other than raising and lowering said groupsof operat ing devices and raising said stops when required. Anyconvenient means may be employed to so raise said stops as to open therunway for passage of the cans. In the present instance, the stop 26,adjacent the group A of cap-placing devices, and the stop 27 adjacentthe group B of tluxing devices, are shown (Fig. 1) connected by suitablelevers and links with treadle 34, depression of which by operator willobviously simultaneously lift both said stops, stop 26 being connectedwith bell crank lever 35 by link 35, stop 27 being connected with bellcrank lever 36 by link 36, bell crank lever 36 being connected by link37 with bell crank lever 35 and latter with treadle 34 by link 35 Thestops 28, 29, 30 and 31 are raised by lever arms 38, 39, 40 and 41respectively connected to their respective stops by links 42, said leverarms being in turn operated by handlearms 43 within reach of theoperator. Referring now more particularly to the cappinginstrumentalities (Figs. 3, 4, 5-9), these are supported normally abovesaid runway and comprise a plurality (in this instance even-numbered, i.e. sixteen) of like independently vertically movable t-ubu lar pneumaticspindles 46, having down wardly presented months, the centers of whichare equally spaced-apart a distance equal to the diameter of" the cansto be manipulated thereby. It will be observed that each of saidspindles comprises, viewed as a whole with its connected parts, avertically extended portion of uniform horizontal cross-section andabove said portion a part, hereinafter described, of greater horizontalcross-section than said portion. A horizontally disposed verticallymovable member or plate 47 is provided with perfo rations in which saidextended portions of said spindles are slidably held, and upon whichplate said parts of said spindles of greater horizontal cross-sectionbear, and thereby said spindles as a whole, are normally supported.Plate 47 is detachably secured at each side thereof to verticallymovable rods 48, slidably supported in bars 49, carried by pedestals 50,carried by bed-plate 51, carried by blocks 52, mounted on frame members1 and 2 (Figs. 3, 4). The said vertically extended portions of uniformhorizontal cross-section of said spindles 46 also pass slidably throughperforations in detachable alining plate 53 also carried by pedestals50. 54 is, for still greater accuracy, a similar supplemental aliningplate supported as shown by posts 53 rest-ing on plate 53. To plate 53are secured guide brackets 55, through which said rods 48 may freelyslide. In this instance the said part of each said spindle which is ofgreater horizontal cross-section constitutes a weighted member 56,whereby said spindles are, by gravity, caused to descend with the frame47 and also to firmly contact, with required pressure, the caps 57 asshown in Fig. 7 and hereinafter described. The capping instrumentalitiescomprise also, disposed below said runway, a corresponding plurality(sixteen) of vertically disposed, tubular, capcontaining, magazines 58,having upwardly presented openings, each positioned, centered, anddimensioned, to admit insertion thereinto of one of said spindles. Saidmagazines 58 are carried by a plate 60 (Fig. 6) in which they areremovably fitted to admit of their individual removal therefrom withoutdetaching it from the bed-plate 51 of the-capping devices. For suchpurpose said plate 60 is secured to said bed-plate 51 by means ofthumb-screws 61 (Fig. 4). As shown in Fig. 7 each magazine 58 is fittedinto a socket 62, countersunk in said plate 60, the top of each magazinebeing slightly below the upper surface of said last mentioned plate. Thelocation of each magazine 58 is carefully adjusted to center, in asexact alinement as possible, with the center of the thereabovecorresponding spindle 46, to the end that said spindles may, whenlowered, simultaneously, freely, enter into said magazines. Means areprovided to so lower said spindles. Said frame 47 and spindles 46thereby carried are normally held above said runway of the machine byweights 63, suspended from cables 64 (Fig. 4). pulleys 65, on rotatableshaft 66, supported Said cables 64 are carried on drumby said pedestals50. On said shaft 66 are also drum-pulleys 67, carrying chains 68 (Fig.4) having their lower ends connected with said frame 47. A hand-wheel 69(Fig. 4) on shaft 66 enables the operator to rotate said shaft againstweight 63, thereby relieving from latter frame 47 and its group ofspindles 46, which are then forced by gravity toward and into saidmagazines 58. Reverse motion imparted to said hand-wheel results in saidweights 63 lifting said spindles back to normal position.

Each spindle 46 consists of a tube 70 (Fig. 8) terminating in a plug 71having a bore, or mouth, 72 of preferably small diameter. Each weightedmember 56 carried by each spindle is bored as at 73 8) and provided witha nipple 74, to which one end of a flexible tube 75 is air-tightlysecured. The tubes 75, from two ranks of said group ofsaid spindles 46,are connected to a trunktube 76 (Fig. The tubes 75, from the other tworanks of said spindles, are con-- nected to an auxiliary trunk-tube 77,trunktubes 76, 7 7 being connected together by tube 78. Said trunk-tube76 is also connected by tube 80 to one side of-a valve 79 (Fig. 4), theother side of said valve being connected by tube 81 with any suitableconstantly acting exhaust not shown.

The said group A, (Fig. 1) of capping instrumentalities is operated asfollows: Said frame 47, and its weighted spindles 46, are simultaneouslylowered as aforesaid until said mouths of said spindles insert intotheir corresponding magazines 58, and are, by gravity, contacted, withrequired pressure, against the topmost member of a supplyof like capscarried by each said magazine. Such lowering of the spindles through therunway may be seasonably accomplished immediately after one of saidcarriers 6 has been released, by lifting stop 26, and advanced by saidendless conveyer beyond said spindles in the direction of arrow 82 inFig. 3. Said required contact of the spindles with the caps isdemonstrated by latters arrestation of downward movement of the spindlesand continued descent of frame 47 thus showing a space between frame 47and said weighted parts 56 of said spindles. Valve 79 is then turned toopen communication between the spindles 46 and said eX haust. Thiscauses the topmost caps in the magazines to adhere to their therewithcontacting spindles, whereupon the weights 63 are permitted to restoreframe 47 and spindles 46 to their normal position above the runway ofthe machine, 2'. 6. until stops 85 (Fig. 3) of said rods 48 contact withsaid bars 49. The plurality of spindles is thus sufficiently raised topermit another carrier 6 with its group of uncapped cans to be advancedthereunder by the endless conveyer until in its turn, contacted by saidstop 26 and by rear member 6 of said carrier, it is, between the lateralalining members 25, p0- sitioned so that the center of each can, and ofits contained opening, registers with the center of one of saidplurality of spindles. During said positioning of the cans, the saidexhaust has continued its operation, thereby retaining the caps inadherence to their respective spindles. As soon as the cans have been asaforesaid stopped and thereby positioned, frame 47 and spindles 46 areagain lowered until the caps are brought in contact with the cans andpreferably pressed down upon their openings,the edge of the caps beingseated in the flanged edge 24? of said openings as shown in Fig. 11.Valve 49 is then turned to cut off the exhaust, thus releasing the capsfrom the spindles after which latter are again raised, as aforesaid, tonormal position. Treadle 84; is then depressed thereby raising stop 26clear of the cans, whereupon the chains 8, constituting thecontinuously-moving endless conveyer, cause the carrier and its nowcapped cans to again advance through the runway to the next group C ofoperating devices. hereinbefore described capping operations may berepeated indefinitely on successive groups of cans.

It will be noted that said magazines 58 are laterally perforated as at86 (Fig. 7) to insure free circulation of air within, and between thetherein contained caps; also that the horizontal cross-section of thesaid plug 71, constituting the lowermost part of each spindle 4E6,differs in shape from the horizontal cross-section of the upwardlypresented openings of the tubular cap-containing magazines 58 as shownin Fig. 9, the said horizontal cross-section of said plug of saidspindle in this instance being angular, 6., square, and-the saidcrosssection of said opening of said cap-containing magazine beingcircular. By said lateral perforations of the magazines and by saiddiversity in shape between parts is avoided suction detrimental to theadhesion of the caps to the spindles when latter are lifted out ofthemagazines. It will also benoted that, by reason of the constructiondescribed, independent contact, under independent pressure, is accordedto each spindle with its respective cap, and this notwithstanding thatthe topmost caps of respective magazines may be at different levels. Bythe means described it becomes possible to lower simultaneously tooperative position relatively to. the cans, or otherwise, a plurality ofvertically-disposed like members each provided at its lower end withlike operating downwardly presented instrumentalities, and,notwithstanding inequalities of level, impart required operativeposition under required pressure to each of said instrumentalitiesindependently of the others. It will The be understood that the plate60, frame 4.7 and alining plates 53, 54, are preferably removable inorder that corresponding members may be interchanged and adapted tomanipulation and treatment of groups of cans numerically different andof different diameters, to which end the said lateral alining members 25are also transversely adjustable as indicated in Fig. 2, such obviousdetails of construction being, since plainly shown in the drawings, notindicated by" chine to follow the treatment imparted by the cap-placinggroup, such being, in the present instance, group B (Fig. 1)representing a plurality of like fluxing devices adapted tosimultaneously apply flux adjacent the seams of the previously appliedcaps, and groups G and D (Fig. 1) being pluralities of like solderingdevices, are spaced-apart and positioned relatively to the cans andrunway like the said cap-placing devices, it being thus equallyimportant that, during their operation, each can be accurately centeredwith one of said devices, the which is accomplished by my saidcan-feeding and centering means the same as when the cans are under thecap-placing devices. My said combination of can feeding and centeringmeans thus serves the requirements of the entire machine, or organizedsequence of groups of difl'erently functioning instrumentalities, andthis without the cans, the caps, the flux, or the solder or thesoldering irons being manually handled from start'to finish, thepreliminary charging of the required number of cans into the carriers 6being readily effected by unskilled labor without attention topositioning them, since the latter is, whenever required, accuratelyeffected by the automatic operations of the elements of the machine asdescribed. It will also be understood that while, in the drawings, Ihave shown application of my said feeding and centering devices to acertain type of cans, any other type of containers comprising acylindrical main portion may be equally fed and manipulated in groupsthereby. I do not moreover confine myself to the particular shapes,proportions, and relative locations of parts as illustrated in thedrawings, these being variable, without departing from my invention, tomeet special requirements of each type of containers treated.

\Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is thefollowing, viz

1. In a can-manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: a carrier comprising abottom adapted to loosely carry an even numbered group of like shapedcans of alike diameter; under said runway an endless conveyer on whichsaid carrier loosely rides; means to impart to said conveyer continuousmotion in parallelism with s'ald runway; on each side of said runwayparallel lateral alining members spaced apart a distance equal to thesum of the said diameters of an aliquot part of the number of said cans,and disposed to contact with some of said cans; transverse said runwayin the path of said cans a movable normally closed stop disposed tocontact with some of said cans; on said carrier a rear member disposedtransversely of said runway to contact with some of said cans and,coacting with said alining members, and said stop, to force andultimately hold said group stationary in positions in which theircenters are equally spaced apart and the cans lined up in mutuallycontacting ranks; and means to raise said stop out of the path of saidcans in said runway.

2. In a can-manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a plurality of like manipulating devices having downwardlypresented operating members whose centers are equally spaced apart; acarrier comprising a bottom adapted to loosely carry a group oflike-shaped cans each of diameter equal to the interspace betweencenters of said manipulating devices; under said runway a conveyer onwhich said carrier loosely rides, means to impart to said conveyermotion in parallelism with said runway toward and beyond saidmanipulating devices; on each side said runway parallel lateral aliningmembers spaced and disposed to contact with some of said cans andcoacting with said conveyer to guide said group toward positions inwhich their centers register with said centers of said manipulatingdevices; transverse said runway in the path of said cans a movablenormally closed stop disposed to contact with some of said cans andcoacting with said conveyer and said lateral members to crowd said grouptoward said positions; and on said carrier at rear member disposed tocontact with some of said cans and, coacting with said conveyer saidlateral members and said stop, to ultimately force and hold said groupstationary in said positions.

3. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans, thecombination of the following elements, viz: normally held down bygravity in and transverse the path of the can in said runway avertically movable stop having downwardly projecting rollers; a carrieradapted to loosely carry an even numbered group of like shaped cans oflike diameter and comprising a bottom member having therefrom upwardlyextending lateral flanges disposed as treads for said rollers and a rearmember transversely disposed to contact with some of said cans; on eachside of said runway parallel lateral alining members spaced apart adistance equal to the sum of the diameters of an aliquot part of thenumber of said cans and disposed to contact with some p or them; undersaid runway a conveyer on which said carrier loosely rides; means toimpart to said conveyer continuous motion toward and beyond said stop;and means to raise and momentarily support said stop out of said path ofsaid cans until said treads have advanced beneath said rollers wherebysaid stop is supported out of the path of said cans while said rollersbear on said treads and returned by gravity to normal position aftersaid treads have been advanced beyond said rollers.

4. In a cam manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a plurality'of independently vertically movable tubularpneumatic like spindles having downwardly presented mouths the centersof which are equally spaced-apart; below said runway a correspondinggroup of vertically disposed tubular cap-containing magazines havingupwardly presented openings positioned,

centered, and dimensioned to admit insertion thereinto of said group ofspindles; means to lower said group of spindles simultaneouslytransverse said runway into said magazines to independently contact withand bear upon the caps therein contained; means to exhaust air from saidspindles simultaneously whereby one of said caps is caused to adhere toeach of said spindles; means to raise said spindles carrying said capssimultaneously above said runway; means to feed simultaneously throughsaid runway a group of as many like cans as there are spindles each saidcan having a similarly located uncapped opening; means to stop saidgroup of cans beneath said group of spindles; means to aline said cansin positions in which each of their said openings registers with one ofsaid mouths of said spindles; and means to cut ofi said exhaust fromsaid spindles whereby said caps are released to rest respectively uponsaid openings of said cans.

5. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway an even-numbered plurality of independently verticallymovable tubular pneumatic spindles having downwardly presented mouths,the centers of which are equally spaced-apart;'below said runway acorresponding group of vertically disposed tubular cap-containingmagazines having upwardly presented openings positioned, centered, anddimensioned to admit insertion thereinto of said group of spindles;means to lower said group of spindles simultaneously transverse saidrunway into said magazines to independently contact with and bear uponthe caps therein contained; means to exhaust air from said spindlessimultaneously whereby one of said caps is caused to adhere to each ofsaid spindles; means to lift said spindles carrying said capssimultaneously above said runway; a carrier comprising. a bottom adaptedto loosely carry as many like cans as said spindles, each said canhaving a similarly located uncapped opening and a diameter equal to thedistance between said centers of said mouths; under said runway anendless conveyer on which said carrier loosely rides; means to impart tosaid carrier continuous motion in parallelism with said runway; on eachside of said runway parallel lateral alining members spaced apart adistance equal to the sum of the said diameters of an aliquot part ofthe number of said cans and disposed to contact with some of them andcoacting with said conveyer guide said group toward positions in whichsaid openings register with said mouths; transverse said runway in thepath of said cans a movable normally closed stop disposed to contactwith some of said cans and coacting with said conveyer and said lateralmembers to crowd said group toward said positions; on said carrier arear member disposed to contact with some of said cans and, coactingwith said conveyor said lateral members and said stop, to ultimatelyforce and hold said group stationary in said positions; and means to cutoff said exhaust from said spindles whereby said caps are released torest respectively upon said openings of said cans.

6. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a vertically movable tubular pneumatic spindle having adownwardly presented mouth; below said runway a corresponding verticallydisposed tubular cap-containing magazine having an upwardly presentedopening positioned, centered and dimensioned to admit insertionthereinto of said spindle; means to lower said spindle transverse saidrunway into said magazine to contact with a cap therein contained; meansto exhaust air from said spindle whereby said cap is caused to adherethereto; means to lift said spindle carrying said cap above said runway;means to feed in said runway a can having an un capped opening; means tostop said can in said runway beneath said spindle; means to adjust saidopening to register with said mouth of said spindle and means to cut offsaid exhaust from said spindle whereby said cap is released to rest uponsaid opening.

7. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a vertically movable tubular pneumatic spindle having adownwardly presented mouth; below said runway a corresponding verticallydisposed laterally-perforated tubular cap-containing magazine having anupwardly-presented opening positioned, centered and dimensioned to admitinsertion thereinto of said spindle; means to lower said spindletransverse said runway into said magazine to contact with a cap thereincontained; means to exhaust air from said spindle whereby said cap iscaused to adhere thereto; means to lift said spindle carrying said capabove said runway; means to feed in said runway a can having an uncappedopening; means to stop said can in said runway beneath said spindle;means to adjust said. opening to register with said mouth of saidspindle and means to cut off said exhaust from said spindle whereby saidcap is released to rest upon said opening.

8. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a vertically movable tubular pneumatic spindle having alowermost part of given horizontal crosssection containing a downwardlypresented mouth; below said runway a corresponding vertically disposedtubular cap-containing magazine having an upwardly presented opening ofhorizontal cross-section difiering in shape from said horizontalcross-section of said lowermost part of said spindle, said opening beingpositioned, centered, and dimensioned to admit insertion thereinto ofsaid lowermost part of said spindle; means to lower said lowermost partof said spindle across said runway into said magazine to contact with acap therein contained; means to exhaust air from said spindle wherebysaid cap is caused to adhere to its said lowermost part; means to liftsaid spindle carrying said cap above said runway; means to feed in saidrunway a can having an uncapped opening; means to stop said can in saidrunway beneath said spindle; means to adjust said opening to registerwith said mouth of said spindle; and means to cut off said exhaust fromsaid spindle whereby said cap is released to rest upon said opening.

9. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a vertically movable tubular pneumatic spindle having alowermost part of angular horizontal crosssection and a downwardlypresented mouth; below said runway at corresponding vertically disposedtubular cap-containing magazine having an upwardly presented opening ofcircular horizontal cross-section, said opening being positioned,centered and dimensioned to admit insertion thereinto of said lowermostpart of said spindle; means to lower said spindle across said runwayinto said magazine to contact with a cap therein contained; means toexhaust air from said spindle whereby said cap is caused to adhere toits said lowermost part; means to lift said spindle carrying said capabove said runway; means to feed in said runway a can having an uncappedopening; means to stop said can in said runway beneath said spindle;means to adjust said opening to register with said mouth of saidspindle; and means to cut off said exhaust from said spindle wherebysaid cap is released to rest upon said opening.

10. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans, thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normallyabove saidrunway a plurality of vertically disposed tubular pneumatic spin dleseach comprising a vertically extended portion of uniform horizontalcrosssection, above said portion a part of greater horizontalcross-section than said portion, and below said portion a downwardlypresented mouth; a horizontally disposed vertically movable member orplate upon which said portion of greater horizontal cross-section andthereby said spindles are normally supported and containing perforationsin which said extended portions of said spindles are slidably held;below said runway a corresponding plurality of vertically disposedtubular magazines containing, loosely, like articles and each having anupwardly presented opening positioned, centered and dimensioned to admitinsertion thereinto of one of said spindles, means to lower said plateuntil said spindles enter in said magazines, contact with said articles,and its aforesaid support of said spindles ceases; means to exhaust airfrom said spindles whereby one of said articles is caused to adhere toeach of said spindles; and means to raise said plate until it againsupports said spindles and returns them to their original position.

11. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans, thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a plurality of vertically disposed tubular pneumaticspindles each comprising a vertically extended portion of uniformhorizontal cross-section and each having adjacent its upper end aweighted part of greater horizontal crosssection and in its lower end adownwardly presented mouth; a horizontally disposed vertically movablemember or plate, upon which said weighted parts of greater horizontalcross-section and thereby said spindles are normally supported, andcontaining perforations in which said extended portions of said spindlesare slidably held; below said runway a corresponding plurality ofvertically disposed tubular magazines containing, loosely,like articlesand each having an upwardly presented opening positioned, centered anddimensioned to admit insertion thereinto of one of said spindles; meansto lower said plate until said spindles insert in said magazines,contact wit-h said articles, and its aforesaid support of said spindlesand their said weighted parts ceases; means to exhaust air from saidspindles whereby one of said articles is caused to adhere to each ofsaid spindles; means to raise said plate until it again supports saidspindles and their said weighted parts and returns them to theiroriginal position.

12. In a machine having a runway the combination of the followingelements, viz: a carrier comprising a bottom adapted to loosely carry aplurality of cylindrical containers of like horizontal diameter; undersaid runway an endless conveyer on which said carrier loosely rides;means to impart to said conveyer continuous motion in parallelism withsaid runway; on each side of said runway parallel alining membersspaced-apart a distance equal to the sum of the diameters of a number ofsaid containers and disposed to contact with some of them; transversesaid runway in the path of the containers a stop disposed to contacttherewith; on said carrier a rear-member disposed transversely of saidrunway to contact with the containers and, coacting with said aliningmembers with said stop and with said conveyer, to force and ultimatelyhold said containers stationary in positions in which their centers areequally spacedapart on a line parallel with said stop and rear-member.

13. In a machine having a runway the combination of the followingelements, viz: supported normally above said runway a group of likeoperating devices having their centers equally spaced-apart and aplurality of them disposed on a line transverse said runway; a carriercomprising a bottom adapted to loosely carry a group of like containerseach of diameter equal to the inter-space between said centers; undersaid runway a conveyer on which said carrier loosely rides; means toimpart to said conveyer continuous motion in parallelism with saidrunway; on each side of said runway, spaced-apart a distance equal tothe sum of the diameters of as many containers as are centers ofoperating devices on said line, parallel alining members disposed tocontact with containers and coacting with said conveyer to guide themtoward positions in which their centers register with centers of saidoperating devices; transverse said runway in the path of the containersa stop disposed to contact with the containers and coacting with saidconveyer and said alining members, to crowd the containers toward saidpositions; and on said carrier a rear member disposed to contact withcontainers and, coacting with said conveyer said alining members andsaid stop, to force and hold the containers stationary in saidpositions.

1a. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: supported normally abovesaid runway a vertically movable pneumatic spindle having a downwardlypresented mouth; below said runway a corresponding vertically disposedcapcontaining magazine having an upwardly presented opening positioned,centered, and dimensioned to admit insertion thereinto of said spindle;means to lower said spindle transverse said runway into said magazine tocontact with a cap therein contained; means to exhaust air from saidspindle whereby said cap is caused to adhere thereto; means to lift saidspindle carrying said cap above said runway; means to feed in saidrunway and center with said mouth of said spindle a can having anuncapped opening; and means to cut ofi? said exhaust from said spindlewhereby said cap is released to rest upon said opening.

15. In a can manipulating machine having a runway for the cans thecombination of the following elements, viz: normally held down bygravity, in and transverse the path of the cans in said runway, avertically movable stop having downwardly projecting rollers; in saidrunway a carrier adapted to loosely carry a plurality of cans andcomprising a bottom member having therefrom upwardly extending lateralflanges disposed as treads for said rollers; under said runway aconveyer on which said carrier loosely rides; means to impart to saidconveyer motion toward and beyond said stop; and means to raise andmomentarily support said stop out of said path of said containers untilsaid treads have advanced to beneath said rollers.

BERNARD HAUSHEER. Vitnsses GEORGE A. MA'rrInwsoN, JOSEPHINE J.DILWOR'IH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

